Replacing rear coils

[Piece of Work]

I'm going to replace my rear coils and would like step by step instructions. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[cparman]

It is pretty straight forward, actually. You need to get rear of the truck jacked up, and have jack stands under the frame rails in front of the rear end. Then do one spring R&R at a time. There is a long bolt that runs through the coil spring, at the top and bottom of the spring. The tough part, IMO, is getting those 40 yr old bolts to come loose. If you have an 1/2 air gun, it will be a big help, but even with that they might not come loose.

Jack up the rear end just until it move up a bit. This will compress the coil spring. Get the bolts out, and the slowly let the jack down until you can remove the spring. Put the new spring in and reverse the procedure.

Rear springs are not like fronts, in respect to how much the springs are compressed. Go slowly, pay attention, make sure that the jack stands are stable. HAVE FUN!

[Piece of Work]

Thank you.
Fun isn't what comes to mind when dealing with old bolts and heated springs.

[cparman]

NOW, you have already got a bad attitude about the fun you will have!!! Dirt is my younger brother, and this repair/fun stuff, is all what you make it.

Do you have a torch available?

Do you have a lift available? Makes this a ton easier.

It is really not that bad, if you have a friend that will help you.

I replaced my OE springs a few months ago, and we had my truck up on a lift, and a box end wrench, 1/2 impact, a little bit of skin, and WA LA!!!! The damned spring almost mashed my big toe. On the right foot, the left foot is already FUBAR, and I did not need any more trama to it.

If you do not have a torch available, I might suggest that you soak the bolts with PB BLASTER, a day our so before the big event.

I am 54 yrs old, and STILL get excited when I think thru a project, and it turns out like I wanted to. I will tell you though, I ALWAYS have a plan B. Meaning that I have thought about what might happen that I cannot control

I LIKE A PLAN B PLAN !

pm me if you have a question

[Piece of Work]

I'm 49, will be doing this alone, in my driveway, no torch, no friends.
I do have a shiny new impact wrench! Of course it will be fun, when I'm finished. I am a big believer of planning and plan "b"s. As soon as this rain passes I'll get to work.

[LMN8UR]

Maybe a day or two before you start, spray the bolts a couple times with penetrating oil. You might also have a four foot cheater bar and a can of spinach available!

Good Luck!

[vegaschevy]

Heres a little better info on easy wasy... the EASY button.. LOL

jack stand the frame like mentioned. High enough that you can get an impact wrench under the trailing arm.

put a jack under the pumpkin or whatever side you are removing first. Jack it up to relieve a little pressure and remove the bottom bolt. Then lower the rear end and youll have more room to get to the top bolt! repeat for the other side.

[CWS]

I am a rookie at working on these trucks, so my approach might be completely wrong. I was able to get the lower bolts loose without much effort. The upper bolts were not going to move, they were rusted together. I went and picked up a 4 and ½ inch grinder and a few flapper disc’s. (The disc’s run about $6 at Home Depot). Using the grinder, I just ground the head off the upper bolt and punched it through the frame. Once the bolt was punched into the frame, it was easy to get the remains out of the frame. Again I am a rookie, it took about 45 minutes to get the first upper bolt out and about 15 minutes to get the second upper bolt out on the other side of the truck. I replaced the bolts with grade 8 bolts I picked up at the local Ace Hardware.

Craig

[LMN8UR]

Originally Posted by CWS

I am a rookie at working on these trucks, so my approach might be completely wrong. I was able to get the lower bolts loose without much effort. The upper bolts were not going to move, they were rusted together. I went and picked up a 4 and ½ inch grinder and a few flapper disc’s. (The disc’s run about $6 at Home Depot). Using the grinder, I just ground the head off the upper bolt and punched it through the frame. Once the bolt was punched into the frame, it was easy to get the remains out of the frame. Again I am a rookie, it took about 45 minutes to get the first upper bolt out and about 15 minutes to get the second upper bolt out on the other side of the truck. I replaced the bolts with grade 8 bolts I picked up at the local Ace Hardware.

Craig

CWS - Sounds like you bypassed all the fun. As any PRO will tell you, to do this job properly you have to get rust in your eyes and at least three skinned knuckles.

[bigguy69]

Originally Posted by LMN8UR

CWS - Sounds like you bypassed all the fun. As any PRO will tell you, to do this job properly you have to get rust in your eyes and at least three skinned knuckles.

amen brother!!!!

[nplocoman]

I just removed mine last night. I do have the bed off. The bottoms came off with the rattle gun. On the tops I used a breaker bar on the bottom with a box end on top. With a few turns both top bolts twisted in two. Soft bolts on mine. I am sure they are orginal.

[Jblackie47803]

The upper bolts on mine had long ago become one with the frame. I cut them completely out and used a C-notch kit to provide a new mounting hole for the bolt even though I probably could have gotten away without the kit from a clearance standpoint.

[bruceman1968]

Originally Posted by Piece of Work

I'm 49, will be doing this alone, in my driveway, no torch, no friends.
I do have a shiny new impact wrench! Of course it will be fun, when I'm finished. I am a big believer of planning and plan "b"s. As soon as this rain passes I'll get to work.

Mark, I to live in clearwater, that means you got a friend you don't even know about. I do construction work for a living. I can rebuild a sbc1 with confidence and supension work doesn't scare me so if you want some help let me know.

[Burb]

See thats what this site is all about bringing people and trucks together

See you got friends in Clearwater.

Good luck guys.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by vegaschevy

Heres a little better info on easy wasy... the EASY button.. LOL

jack stand the frame like mentioned. High enough that you can get an impact wrench under the trailing arm.

put a jack under the pumpkin or whatever side you are removing first. Jack it up to relieve a little pressure and remove the bottom bolt. Then lower the rear end and youll have more room to get to the top bolt! repeat for the other side.

You guys in the desert are cute. Where metal rusts you never remove extra bolts because you can't just take it off, do your work and put it back.
You first try to take it off, bust a knuckle.
Strip the head, bust another knuckle.
Heat it up, start a fire.

You get the picture.

[lks dcvn]

All the bolts I have to 'remove' up here in the MidWest means get the cut off wheel ready-

[cparman]

I like it!! And the soak the bolts for a few days

Originally Posted by vegaschevy

heres a little better info on easy wasy... The easy button.. Lol

jack stand the frame like mentioned. High enough that you can get an impact wrench under the trailing arm.

Put a jack under the pumpkin or whatever side you are removing first. Jack it up to relieve a little pressure and remove the bottom bolt. Then lower the rear end and youll have more room to get to the top bolt! Repeat for the other side.

[Piece of Work]

Thanks for all the info. Springs are replaced, no rust in my eyes and no skinned knuckles. The bottom bolts came out easily. The top bolts twisted in half.

The new springs have a 4" drop. The old springs had been heated. Why people heat and ruin there coils I will never understand.

[I_FLY_LOW]

Originally Posted by LMN8UR

Maybe a day or two before you start, spray the bolts a couple times with penetrating oil. You might also have a four foot cheater bar and a can of spinach available!

Good Luck!

Bingo... I just did mine....
Wear some safety glasses/goggles, too... rust and dirt falling in the eyes, and filthy hands don't play well with each other...

I used Deep Creep on all the fasteners a half hour or so beforehand (while I changed my oil, and some other things...), and a 1/2" breaker bar, to get them started, then switched to a rachet, and took my time...

The really fun part is if, or when, you replace the front springs...
I tried to do them by myself...
came apart no problem.. trying to put them back in, eh, not so much...
You'll need a vict, er I mean friend to assist in that one...
At least I did...

Relax, take your time...
It's nasty, not exactly easy, but hey, you're workin on your truck...
Getting things done...
Have fun!